Nyle DiMarco is the second-ever deaf contestant on Dancing With the Stars—which makes it especially important that he and professional partner Peta Murgatroyd are able to communicate incredibly well.

The new pair have been rehearsing for about a week already, and Peta tells E! News’ Erin Lim after the DWTS season 22 cast’s big reveal on Good Morning Americ that she’s begun to learn American Sign Language. “It’s been so interesting and such a great learning experience. We’ve had six days to get to know one another. I’m learning sign language now,” she tells us.

But she and Nyle are already connecting on a very deep level. “I love the connection that we have because it’s so visual,” Peta says. “It’s so much more trusting in a sense because we both rely on each other so much because he can’t hear the music.”

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